Saving a Princess
by Valledorthedragon
Summary: Merida has run away- she's had enough. She wants to travel freely, away from her mother, and see the world. And she'd never admit it, but she wanted a friend as well. In a tower was a girl who shared a similar dream. This is the beginning of a new dream. For both princesses.
1. Chapter 1

Saving a Princess - Part 1

 **Authors note: hey guys- okay I soooo so so so so so so sooooooooooo sorry about the lack of inactivity I've been on holiday with no Internet so I've not been able to post luckily that's given me time to write a bit more so I've got a decent amount o put up now ^^ consider tis short story an apology for not putting anything up in so long- it was a gift for a friend of mine oh and I apologise in advance or Meridas terrible over the top accent. I might fix it later if I have time but until them enjoy the story. It does have a fairly open ending but not really. Anyways that's all I can think to say- enjoy reading and Ill be back soon with another story I've been working on (blood moon isn't quite finished yet but its on the way) but for now see you later^^ oh almost forgot please leave a review and I hope you enjoy it^^**

Little Merida giggled as she ran through the forest. Slapping the branches of a thornless berry bush as she went. Where was that arrow? She wondered, turning to search the trunks of the trees surrounding her... There it was! She grinned, as she spotted it, and tugged it out the tree. Wow, she shot it in pretty deep- she must be getting pretty strong! Maybe she'd be as strong as daddy one day! She froze.

A strange, otherworldly sound reached her ears. What was that? She thought, keeping very still. I'm not scared, she stubbornly told herself, glancing curiously from side to side, to see what was making the noise.

She heard it again, louder this time, behind her. She turned to see it, and gasped.  
"A will o' the wisp." She whispered, amazed. Scrambling to get closer to it, until she was stood right next to it. A small, blue floaty thing just hovering there, right in front of her. Then, slowly, she lifted up a hand towards it, holding her breath, eyes widening... It vanished.

Far from disappointing her, the disappearing act had only excited her even more.  
"They are real." She muttered in awe. She gasped again, as another blue figure appeared with that peculiar little noise. She ran after it, but as she got close, it vanished, and another one, slightly further away, took its place.

She giggled, as she played this game of chase. Challenging herself to get closer, and closer, to the flickering, blue shapes. Then, one of them stopped at a wall of vines, and vanished. Merida stopped.

Huh? Where was the next one? She looked for it, confused. The strange wisp noise sounded from behind her, wait, not just behind her... behind the vines? It seemed strange, but... She reached out, and moved aside some of the vines. There was the wisp, in some kind of secret tunnel. Wow, this was great! She thought. She'd just found her own secret den!

Stalking up to the unsuspecting wisp, she cupped her hands, and attempted to trap it.  
"Gotcha!" She peeked inside her hands. Gone. Another one appeared to be laughing at her, further into the cave. She followed it... and another... and another. Wait, this wasn't a cave...

Suddenly, it opened up into a little, secret place- in the middle of which, stood a tower. Woooow... She marvelled, staring at the tall, stone pillar with only a single window at the top.

She wondered who lived there- a troll? A witch? A goblin, maybe? A giant? Maybe a princess! Ooh, perhaps she was being held hostage by a demon hag! Maybe she could rescue her! Like a hero in her mum's stories!

"Merida!" The call was very quiet, and very distant, but she still heard it. It was her mother! Oh, just wait until he heard about this!

She ran off towards the voice, excited to tell her tale- though she was a little out of breath when she got there.  
"Mum... I saw a wisp, and then... there were more... and then, a secret cave... and it led to a secret tower, which I think has a princess inside! A secret tower, Mummy! And will o' the wisps!" She gasped, jumping with glee as she told her.  
"A wisp!" Her mother exclaimed. She nodded- oh, she wished she'd have seen it too!

The queen bent down to her, with that secret, mystic legend look in her eyes. Merida leaned forwards to listen.  
"Some say... the will o' the wisps, lead you... to your fate." She told her. Merida's eyes went very wide, and round, with these words. Wow, really?! Wait... what's a fate? She wondered. Oh well, whatever it was, she bet the wisps had led her to it. Hold on- they'd led her to that tower! Was that a fate?

She thought back to that magical tower, in its secret cave. Perhaps she'd go back, and save that princess some day, she thought.

Yeah! She'd take her bow, and she'd climb up that tower, and she'd defeat the mighty beast keeping her captive! Like a great hero! And then, her and that princess would be the best friends ever!


	2. Chapter 2

Saving a Princess - Part 2

A powerful shire tore through through the worn forest path. His rider not bothering to direct him. She was too lost in her grief to care about where she was going, and let fate take her where it would. Just so long as it was away from her mother, it was perfect.

Stupid, stupid mother- controlling her like that! Her dear, precious bow, which she'd had since childhood, burnt to a useless bit of timber. How could she?! That bow was her freedom- her independence! It was her defiance of all things princess. She needed that in the rigid, perfect world of her mother's perfect castle... and that was exactly why she'd done it. She'd destroyed her bow to break her will. Trying to force her into giving up- into accepting that her mother ruled her life. Well she wasn't going to be controlled like that! She wasn't getting forced into anything by her mother ever again!

She was running far from Dunbroch, and she didn't intend to return. She wasn't going to be made to do anything- least of all get married! Who did her mother think she was?! She had little enough freedom as it was- and now she was selling her off as a trophy to pacify the lords?! Well, she she'd had enough. She was going to live free- far away from that wretched, controlling mother of hers. How could she? Didn't she care for her at all?! Did it matter to her what she thought?! Did she love her at-?!

"Whoaaa!" She was thrown viciously forwards- landing hard on the ground, hair strewn everywhere.  
"Angus!" She sobbed. She'd have thought he at least might offer her some form of comfort in all her distress. She looked over to him, cantering about nervously. What was he doing that for? What had spooked him? He couldn't have just thrown her for nothing. Welcoming the distraction from her grief filled thoughts, she turned to search for what had scared her shire. A strange, but somehow familiar, noise caught her attention, as a small, blue figure appeared a little way ahead of her. Wait- was that a...?

The thing just stayed there, as though waiting for something. She moved closer to it. She remembered these things. She'd seen them before, hadn't she, but she couldn't remember what had happened.

It was a will 'o' the wisp, which, according to the old legend, leads you to her fate... well she was open to being led right now.

As she held out a hand to it, it vanished. She looked expectantly in front of her for the next. Surely enough, a trail of the blue, misty shapes led off into the trees. She turned back, looking for her 'fraidy horse'... no sign of him. Looks like he'd bolted and left for the palace. Great. No way back, and no idea where she was... This was just brilliant. Just her and the wisps then, she thought, walking forwards to follow the trail of candle like creatures, wondering what she would find at the end. What what would they lead her to? What was her destiny?

Eventually, the last wisp vanished in front of a rock draped in long, hanging vines. Guided by some distant, buried memory, she pushed aside the natural curtain and followed through the tunnel... to see the tower.

It was just as surreal as she remembered it. She'd begun to doubt if she'd really seen that thing over the years, but now... it was there. Right in front of her eyes. Just as intriguing and spell binding as ever. No mother to hold her back this time. She grinned as she realised nothing was stopping her. She could climb up into the tower, and no one would stop her. She was burning to know what was inside it- and there was only one way to find out.

Gripping the rock tightly with her hands, she worked her way up in a practised motion. Ha- this was easy next to the Fire Falls! She didn't even slip once! She banged her head against the windowsill, before she realised she was at the top.  
"Ow!" She exclaimed, grimacing at her smarting head. Was she at the top already? She thought, a little disappointed. Oh well- time to see what incredible fate the wisps had in store for her... She pushed open the shutter, and stepped inside...

Her face fell a little. It was just a basic, bog standard room. It wasn't ancient enough to be interesting, and too empty to excite her. What was the point of this place if it was so quiet and empty? Walking forwards, she realised the room wasn't quite so average as she originally thought. The whole thing- walls, furniture, ceiling- was painted. As though someone had a lot of spare time with nothing better to do with their life. She stepped on something that felt weird... Some kind of stringy, golden rope? Wait, hold on...  
"Hair...?" She whispered, following it up high into the rafters- how long was this thing? Just as she was deciding if there was a shape in the shadows, a voice spoke out.  
"Don't move! I'll, erm... I'll hit you!" It said. Merida almost wanted to laugh- she knew false confidence when she heard it (the speaker was young and female, and definitely uncomfortable with having a stranger in her tower). She was trying to intimidate her?! Merida Dunbroch- descendant of the highlands?! Nothing scared her.

She would've replied with something, just as haughtily, but the unsurity in the girl's voice told her she was nervous- scared even.  
"Alrigh', fine. Am not movin'." She told her. What she could see of her in the darkness looked surprised. Bolstered on by this unexpected victory, she said,in a lightly more commanding tone now:  
"Now drop your weapons." Merida rolled her eyes- for once, she didn't have any.  
"Ah don' ha' any weapons." She told her.  
"Wha-? You're lying!" She accused. Honestly, Merida thought, what was making this lass so jumpy?  
"Where would ah hide a weapon in this thin'?" She pointed out, gesturing the loathed, ripped dress (torn from both her act of defiance at the archery tournament, and the fall from Angus).

The sudden thrown out movement of her arm sent an unexpected bolt of pain down it. She must of landed on it funny when Angus threw her. "Ah!" She gasped, clutching it, as the pain subsided as suddenly as it appeared.  
"Are you o-?" She caught herself just in time. "So what do want with my hair?" She demanded. What?! Merida thought- she had to be kidding! Random stranger waltzes into her bedroom, and her first thought is 'oh no- she might steal my hair'?!  
"Wha' would ah wan' wi' you' hair?!" Merida countered, indignantly. "Ah got ma own, thanks." She said, blowing a stray strand out of her face.  
"Wait... you don't want my hair?" The girl asked- startled, but also greatly relieved.  
"No. Ah jus' came for a bi' of poke around." She replied, honestly. "Fancied an adventure." She added. Well, she wasn't lying. She'd been wanting some kind of quest, or heroic task, to complete ever since she was a kid- and this looked pretty promising.

"An adventure..." The girl repeated, sounding enthralled and mesmerised by the prospect.  
"Yeah." Merida said. "Why 'ont ya come down, so I can talk t' ya properly?" She requested. The girl sank back into the rafters, before she apparently gathered her courage, and jumped down from the beams, like she'd been doing that her whole life. She walked forwards into the light. Merida was right- she was just a wee, young lass. Curious, but also nervous, at meeting this new person.

Merida held out a confident hand- not so boldly as to scare her off, though.  
"Merida." She introduced herself. The girl reached out a cautious hand, and opened her mouth to answer.  
"Rapunzel! Let down your hair!" The voice of a much older woman called.

Both their eyes darted to the window, in alarm. Uh oh.


	3. Chapter 3

Saving a Princess - Part 3

Rapunzel turned her emerald green eyes to the stranger, who'd named herself as Merida. Panic flooding her. Oh gosh- mother was here! She'd freak if she saw her! Sure, they'd only just met- and she was technically trespassing on her tower- but she seemed nice enough. She had to hide her- she couldn't let her mother see her. Coming to a split second desicion, she bashed her towards the cupboard.  
"Get in, get in, get in! Can't let her see you! In!" The girl made noises in protest, and probably would have put up a really good fight, but Rapunzel had caught her unawares, and so managed to shove her into the wardrobe. "Stay there- don't make a noise." She finished, slamming the door (quietly) in the surprised, and annoyed, girl's face. She made to go towards the window, then turned back. "Sorry." She apologised, before dashing to the window.

"Coming mother!" She called down. She threw her hair out, over the hook, and to the ground- like she'd been doing ever since it was long enough. She made sure her mother had made a good foot loop (as always) before pulling her up. She strained her muscles hard, as she dragged her hair through the hook, pulling her mother upwards. It didn't matter how long she'd been doing this- it never got any easier. She counted the lengths of the room she did... Two... Three.. Just one more... Four. Mother was home.

She released her death grip on her hair, slouching slightly as she recovered her energy.  
"Hi." She managed, through deep breaths- all that pulling really took it out of her.  
"Oh, Rapunzel. How you manage to do that everyday? It looks exhausting." Her mother praised. She smiled at it.  
"It's nothing." She said, modestly. She did try her best to impress her- always working to make her happy.  
"Then I don't know why it takes so long." She sang. Her face fell- had she really been that bad? She had tried her best- she really had- was it still not good enough for her? Her mother broke into quick, sudden laughter. "Oh honey, I'm just teasing." She told her. Oh, right... heh- that was a good one. She forced a bit of laughter out to try and please her- she never had understood her mother's sense of humour. If she didn't clarify she was joking, it often left her a bit upset (and it was hard to tell when she was or wasn't 'teasing', as she put it).

She ran through her mental schedule of what normally happened next. She was in the tower. She'd put down her basket, next- she'd inspect herself in the mirror, and then... oh no. She'd ask her to sing for her. She couldn't do that in front of the stranger in her closet! She liked Merida, sure, but she wasn't going to trust her with the biggest, most important secret of her life just like that! She had to distract her mother from the mirror before she asked her to sing. She panicked- what to do? What to do?! She was getting closer to the mirror. "Mother, I want to leave the tower." She blurted out... and immediately wanted to slap herself afterwards.

Now she done it. Oh why?! Her and her big mouth. Leaving and seeing the world was always on her mind, so it was no surprise it just randomly came out when she panicked... But now she was in for it. Well, if nothing else, it succeeded in distracted her. She tried not to wilt, as her mother froze, and turned round to face her.  
"Outside?" She repeated, dangerously calm. "Why, Rapunzel, why on earth would you want to do such a thing?" She asked. Something told her she should probably leave it there- apologise for talking about such a touchy, forbidden subject- but she couldn't help herself.  
"I want to see more!" She told her. "I've read my nature books a thousand times- I want see some of this stuff myself! I want to swim in a stream, climb a tree. Go running in the grass!" Her mother had turned and walked away from her, as though attempting to do the same to the conversation.  
"Rapunzel, we've been through this." She cut her off, voice losing its light edge. She was heading into dangerous territory here. "The outside world is a dangerous place- you wouldn't last five minutes." She said, with finality, as though that was case closed. As always, dismay filled her as she heard these words. She wasn't so small anymore- she felt sure she could handle it! And it couldn't be all bad if their were people like Merida in it.

She so desperately wanted to see, and experience, new things. The idea that she might be trapped in this tower for all time... it was just awful! She had to let her leave some day, right... right? The longer she stayed, the more doubtful this seemed.  
"Oh, come on, if I could just-!" She protested.  
"Enough, Rapunzel! YOU ARE NOT LEAVING THIS TOWER! EVER!" She yelled.

Rapunzel felt her shrink. Mother had never shouted at her like that before. She hated upsetting her like that, but at the same time she was desperate to see all those things she saw in her books. She always dreamed about them, but she couldn't disobey her mother... or could she...

She looked to the cabinet where she knew Merida to be hiding. She'd lived in the outside world... and she survived. Maybe- just maybe- she knew enough to keep her safe too. Maybe... she could take her out. Just for a little while- just to see the world for a bit- then she'd come straight back to the tower. Then once mother found out she could handle herself, maybe she'd let her out! But there was a problem. Mother wouldn't ever let her leave- especially with a stranger. She'd have to do it without her knowing- and to do that she have to send her on a trip... a long one. She'd have to introduce the idea for the long journey when she was in a better mood, but first she needed to speak with Merida- and beg her to take her on an experience of a life time. And she couldn't talk to Merida whilst her mother was in the room.

She steeled herself- she hated lying to her mother after all she'd done for her. It made her feel like a despicable person. She heard her moan to herself, as she sank back into her chair.  
"Great. Now I'm the bad guy." She bit her lip, and waited...  
"Mother... I'm sorry I questioned you." She said, submissively. "You know best, right?" She coaxed, using one of her mother's favourite phrases- that seemed to stir her slightly out of her annoyance. Rapunzel noticed the food filled basket she'd brought in, and it gave her an idea. "Is that hazelnuts?" She asked, trying to sound excited. It wasn't that hard- her mother's hazelnut soup was the best, but it also took quite a while to make. Hopefully it would give her long enough to plead with Merida, and get her to agree to take her out. A slight smile began to tug at her mother's lips.  
"Yes. I'm making you hazelnut soup, tonight. It was supposed to be a surprise, but you went and spoiled it." Uh oh- had she made things worse?! Would she make her cook instead, for talking about leaving? She'd never get to talk to Merida then! "I'm teasing!" She laughed. "Stop taking everything so seriously." Rapunzel smiled, weakly. Oh yeah, that funny sense of humour again- just as hilarious as ever.

Her mother scooped up the basket in the crook of her arm, and started walking out the room.  
"I'll be downstairs if you want me." She called back, apparently just as cheerful as she had been when she first came arrived, then she went through the curtain. Rapunzel sighed with relief, leaning against the nearest cabinet. Whew, she was gone. That was intense. She jumped as the cabinet banged underneath her. Of course the closet she leant on had to be the only one with a person inside it.

She opened the door, ready to apologise again for stuffing her inside the cupboard, but she couldn't say a word before the red haired girl burst out with an incredulous.  
"Yeh've neva bin outside!" She whisper yelled. Rapunzel fiddled with a loose piece of hair as she realised how odd it must sound.  
"Um, yeah.." She muttered. "Mother doesn't like the idea of me leaving." She explained. Merida snorted, rather dramatically.  
"Well ah could see tha'." She rolled her eyes. "Tha's it. Me an you are goin' on an adventure trip." She told her, giving no choice otherwise. Rapunzel blinked. Had she really just said...? And she hadn't even asked? She was going to take her! She was going outside!

She squealed, jumping up and down on the spot just thinking about it. Ohmygosh nowaynowaynoway!  
"Thank you!" She exclaimed. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" She jumped forwards, giving her new friend an excited hug- which she seemed rather stunned at, but was grinning never the less when she pulled back.  
"Right, so here's the plan. You get rid o' that devil o' a mother o' yours." She began.  
"She's not a devil." She protested. That was a bit mean, but, from what she could see, Merida wasn't very restrained with her words. "But, yeah, I was thinking I could suggest for her to go on a long trip tonight." She told her.  
"Nice one. Then we can ha' a good few days to ourselves." She said, excitably. Rapunzel felt the urge to do another happy dance. They were doing this! They were actually doing this!

But, was she okay with it?  
"Are you sure you're alright with it?" She asked. "You know, like, being my bodyguard? Keeping me safe and all that?" At the title of "bodyguard" her eyes lit up, and she immediately straightened her back proudly.  
"Keep you safe?!" She questioned. "You jus' so happen t' be lookin' at the bes' archer in all the lands." She boasted, impressively. Wow, she was?! Rapunzel thought- then a something occurred to her.  
"But, where's your bow, then?" She asked. She didn't think she was lying, or anything, but if she was such an incredible archer, then she would have a bow and arrow on her nearly all the time- especially if she's going adventuring. Her face darkened, somewhat.  
"Oh, it, er... it broke." She said. There was clearly a lot more to that story than she was willing to say right now, but she let her curiousity slip. Merida's face brightened suddenly.  
"We can go t' a town! I can ge' a new bow, then! How bout Corona?" She suggested. Rapunzel nodded her head, happily- wondering where Corona was and what it was like. She couldn't wait to see it! Oh, she was getting excited already! She couldn't wait!

The bang of a pan from downstairs reminded her how quick things would turn bad if her mother found her unplanned friend visiting. She looked back to her.  
"You need to go." She urged, suddenly fearing that her mother was going to burst through that curtain at any moment. She lifted her hair up to put it on the hook, but Merida pushed past it.  
"Oh, save it. I don' need ya fancy hair lift." She said, lowering herself off the ledge to clamber down. Just before she went, she asked. "An what's up wi' ya hair, anyway?" Rapunzel tensed at the mention of her hair. It was always a very sensitive topic- even moreso than going outside- especially to strangers. She panicked, and closed the shutters, praying she'd think she just hadn't heard the question.

She sighed, dropping her head back onto the shutters, and looked across the room- at her books. Finally, she might see those illustrations in real life! She couldn't wait to see it! To feel it! The world outside the tower!

Suddenly inspired, she decided to release her excitement the only way she knew how. Through painting. She got out her paints- they were running a little low... inspiration strike! She could ask her mother to get her some new ones! She just had to catch her at the right mood, and she might just agree.

Picking up her remaining paints, and tying herself securely with her hair from the high beams, she began painting. It was high up, and partly in shadow, where her mother couldn't notice it- not that she would, she hardly ever looked at all her hard word anymore. It was just in case. She dipped the brush into the red, and started painting- letting her imagination run wild. Her hand leading the brush to describe her dreams and hopes for the promised journey.

Once finished her hands were filthy, but she was really happy with it. A blond girl with a river of hair cascading down her back, and a red head girl with a tangle of wild locks, stood side by side. Hand in hand. Staring out over a breathtaking landscape. Trees, rivers, mountains and more, all waiting to be explored. She looped her hair into a loose swing beneath her, and sat, looking at the painting of the coming day.

The day she'd always dreamed of... and now, thanks to Merida- thanks to her friend-... she was going to see it come true. 


	4. Chapter 4

Saving a Princess - Part 4

Merida watched, as the woman called up to the tower.  
"Ta tah! I'll be back in a few weeks!" A few weeks, she thought... brilliant. All the more time they got for their adventure. This was gonna be great! She'd hidden herself at the back of the tower, and slept there for the night. Now it was morning, and all they needed now was for Rapunzel to come down and they could get going!

She thought about what she'd learned at that tower. First, there was Rapunzel. She still couldn't get over that she'd never stepped foot outside that tower in her life! She resolved to give her the greatest day possible. She'd show her everything. There was so much to enjoy out here. That was why she loved it so much, herself. The lass seemed like quite a nervous character- well, actually, nervous wasn't the word. She was actually quite brave, facing a random stranger who came into the tower- even without any weapons. Merida could've easily got her in a headlock or choke hold or something- not that she would, of course, but she could've done.

Anyways, she seemed really excitable and bubbly underneath that- she grinned as she recalled her face when she told her she was taking her adventuring. The wee lass looked desperate to go and explore! But she couldn't with that devil mother she had. Made hers look like a right saint, she did. She remembered that vicous shout when she'd simply asked to to go out. Sheesh! Aside from the fact that her mother might possibly say yes- she'd never yell as aggressively as that over something so trivial.

She sighed, today was going to be a good day- she'd make sure of it. She'd give that lass enough fun to make up for the whole of her life she'd spent in that tower. There were all sort of games they could play in the trees of the forest alone- and then there was that nearby stream she knew of. There was a shallower bit for splashing about- and, if you went further downstream, there was a great place for a swim. And a nice place to catch lunch too. What next? Ooh- next she could show her the Fire Falls! And the other mountains, and they could go climbing! Oh, the list was endless.

She'd never had someone accompany her on her wanderings, before. It was going to be brilliant! The wee lamb had a way of making people excited, just by looking at her little grinning face. She chuckled. Yeah, she was a sweet one. And The way she'd asked if She was okay with it- actually considering if it was what she wanted...

She'd spent so long feeling like she was being forced into everything as a princess. And then, when the marriage thing came up, it felt like no one even cared about her. No one had ever cared about her- if they had, they'd have listened to her. They wouldn't have tried to force her into marriage. They wouldn't have broken her bow. That had been the thing that had driven her to run away- the fact that nobody cared. Clearly no one wanted her around, or was bothered about her- certainly not her mother- but now, it seemed... maybe she'd found someone who would care. Someone to be her friend.

She waited a good few minutes, before she got inpatient, and began to wonder. She shoved her mass of curls out of her face, and squinted up at the tower from under her hand. What was taking the wee lass so long?

Okay, okay. Try to calm down.. This was actually happening! Mother has left. Any minute now, she'll be able to go see everything she always dreamed. Flowing rivers! Majestic mountains! Endless stretching forests! Oh, she just couldn't wait! Oh gosh, she couldn't believe this was actually happening! It was going to be incredible!... But what if it wasn't? What if something went wrong, or what if mother found out?!

The outside world sounded like such a terrifying place, but she just had to she had to know what was out there! See the world from beyond the walls of this tower. She turned towards the window. Lets go!.. Or not. I mean, mother might still not have completely gone yet, she thought. A few more minutes waiting won't hurt, right. Oh, forget it, she was going! She was just going to be brave!... Maybe in a little bit. Yeah. She was safer up here. She was better staying right- oh, why couldn't she make her mind up?!

It would destroy her mother to know she'd left- and with a complete stranger too! But she so desperately wanted to go! She just didn't know what to do.  
"Ya still up 'ere?" She yelped, scrambled for the nearest weapon, and held it out at the intruder (yes, okay, it was a frying pan- it would still work). A snort of laughter. "Och, come on, its on'ee me. An' what ya gon'a do wi' a fryin' pan, anyways?" Merida smirked at her. She relaxed. Oh, she'd forgotten about Merida. She was just so nerous and so tense.  
"Sorry." She smiled, ruefully. "I'm just.." She sighed. "I'm a little unsure if I should go." She admitted. She really felt split. She really wanted to go... but her mother would be so mad- what should she do?  
"What ya worried abou'? Thin' ah can take care a' ya?" Merida teased. That wasn't it at all! She bet Merida was a brilliant protector! And she was really grateful to her for lightening the mood, she just... couldn't protect her from everything. "No! It's just... my mother. She'd be so angry if I left- and I don't want to upset her, but I really wanna go so badly! I wanna see what's out there!" She explained, almost pleading- though for what she didn't know. Comfort? Reassurance? Permission? She wasn't sure, but... it felt so nice to be able to confide in a friend.

The only person she'd ever talked to, other than her mother, was Pascal, and he was off having his "free week". She felt so cruel keeping him stuck in the tower all the time, so she insisted that every now and then he go and spend a week by himself- where he wasn't in the cramped room of her tower. He was brilliant company- and good to talk to... But he couldn't talk back, and it wasn't the same as talking to a human being...

It felt so... liberating, being able to talk to someone who was more like her- and understood her. A girl her age, who wanted an adventure just as much as she did. But what would she thinkof her conundrum?  
"Hey, look, if ya motha can' let ya go ouside this stupid towa, then she's jus' an idio'." She blinked at the brutally honest statement. "Ya wan ta ha' ya freedom, don' ya? So you jus' gotta do it. Whether she likes i' or no'." She told her. She hesitated before saying. "I ran away from my motha, an' I ne'er looked ba'." She informed, somewhat proudly- somewhat uncertainly.  
"You did?" She marvelled. Merida nodded. "Won't she be really mad with you?" She asked. Merida snorted.  
"She can' tell me off, if a don' go ba'." She pointed out. Rapunzel thought... She was right, she supposed. If she went out, and never came back, she'd never have to worry about her mother getting annoyed like that... but she couldn't leave just like that, could she? She'd be heartbroken... and what about her hair. Someone would try to cut it- there were all kinds of brutes beyond the tower that would use her for their own gain. She couldn't stay out forever. It was dangerous- why was she even thinking about leaving in the first place?!

But then she thought about the world she'd always seen described in her picture books... Bubbling brooks and open skies- and cities with beautiful, stone buildings...  
"Now, come on, le's ha' an adventure!" Merida grinned. She looked at new friend. So full of life and enthusiasm- not holding back any of her wild attitude. Surely, if she was with Merida, she could have one day outside. Her mother might be mad at her- she might not be sure if she was going to go back or not... but she was definately going.

Merida looked at the young blond, slowly filling to the brim wih excitement, and a grin spread across her face too. She should be excited! She had one incredible day planned, ahead of them. They could catch lunch at the river- and show her all the best forest routes. She could teach her to climb the Fire Falls, and stand atop that cliff together. She'd alway been alone on her travels, and wild adventures. Never having anyone to share the thrill, or excitement, with.

She'd rode through those woods- in tears over her broken bow- in desperate need of a friend... and the wisps had led her here. She was glad she'd met Rapunzel. She'd only known the girl barely a day, and yet... they already fit together as easily as a bow and an arrow.

She couldn't believe it had only been barely a full day since she'd met Merida. It felt like they'd known each other for years! They'd hardly done anything together, but they already had so much planned, it didn't matter.

She couldn't wait to get out there, and show the girl what she was missing. She had her freedom now- she lived out in the woods, just liked she'd always wanted... and now she was going to share that freedom with Rapunzel... And the best part was that she wouldn't be alone.

She was running away from her mother, and she didn't know if she was ever going back. She couldn't wait to get outside, and have the time of her life with her friend... and because he was with her friend, it would make things a whole lot better. She'd always felt so isolated- always wanted a friend. Now she'd found the stranger in the tower- and everything was going to change.

Here was when their life began. As they stood at the edge of the tower, ready to step into the open air.

Together. 


End file.
